Meals on Wheels program moves back home

January 20, 2018News Extra

It was a kind of homecoming today for the Butler County Meals on Wheels program.

And head cook Roberta McCaslin couldn't be happier.

“When you get out of your element,” she said, “it can be a little difficult. It was different having to go to another kitchen. But I'm back home now.”

Flooding caused by a busted pipe Dec. 31 temporarily forced meal preparation from the program's headquarters at St. Peter's Anglican Church on East Jefferson Street to St. Michael the Archangel Roman Catholic Church.

The move was made Jan. 6 to St. Michael on Center Avenue after hot water damaged dry food, paper products, office supplies, furniture, printers and other electronics, and the floor and walls.

The kitchen in the basement at St. Peter's was not damaged, said Mary Pataky, executive director, but the decision to suspend cooking and meal preparation there was prompted by concern over possible unhealthy particles in the air during the drying and renovation process.

But the HQ got the OK after a favorable air quality test Tuesday.

Staff and volunteers, including Pataky's husband, Dave, and son-in-law, Cory Tucek, as well as a couple of Butler Eagle employees just after noon began hauling back pots and pans, other kitchen utensils, canned goods and the like to St. Peter's.

Pataky once again expressed her appreciation to the community — businessmen, civic leaders and private citizens — for their monetary and in-kind donations as well as moral support during the program's time of trouble.

“We are blessed to be home,” she said, “and we are so blessed to be part of this community.”

For more about Butler Meals on Wheels moving back to St. Peter's Anglican Church, read Monday's Butler Eagle.